New Year crafts and activities for kids

Celebrate 2024 with this collection of fun New Year crafts, activities and printables. There is something to suit all ages from preschoolers to tweens and teens.

You might also like these Winter paper crafts

New Year is a special time for all the family with all of the fireworks, parties, sparklers and noise-making!

This collection includes ideas from our archives plus some of our blogging friends around the world to inspire you.

New Year crafts and activities for kids

New year countdown ideas

Counting down to midnight (or maybe 9pm for little kids) is always fun… then it’s time to make some noise! Here are some countdown and noisemaking crafts and activities kids will love.

These spinning noisemakers by What Do We Do All Day look cool
Make your own novelty party blowers! By Messy Little Monster
Upcycle old CD’s into New Year countdown clocks like these ones by Our Kid Things
Here are some super cute printable paper wrist watches, by
These countdown activity bags look fun, by Messy Little Monster
Here’s a fun printable countdown clock, by Hattifant for Red Ted Art

Our latest DIY noisemakers are lots of fun to make. You can create a paper plate shaker or a DIY cardboard spin drum using the same free template.

New Year good wishes and fortune crafts

New Year is the time of year for dreaming big. What are your kids’ goals? If they could wish for anything, what would it be? Here are some activities to encourage big thinking…

Create a simple New Year wishing wand, by Our Kid Things
My kids had lots of fun baking these choc chip fortune cookies (not to be confused with actual fortune cookies!). Each has a hand-written “fortune” wrapped up inside along with a yummy home-baked treat.
Love these New Year bubble wishing wands by Red Ted Art
How cool is this party game fortune teller? The printable is available from Hattifant
Get kids to draw their hopes and dreams for 2024 with this printable New Year drawing prompt by Picklebums
Make your own party crackers and fill them with whatever you like (hand written fortunes would be fun!)

New Year Printables

Keep the kids busy in the holidays with these fun, low-prep, new year-themed printables ….

Here’s a simple set of New Year colouring pages, by Chalk Academy
This printable escape room puzzle kit for kids looks so cool! By Teaching Ideas
Get dot-to-dotting in the New Year with this set of printables by Simple Everyday Mom
Love this fireworks drawing prompt by Picklebums
Bookworms are going to love these printable colouring bookmarks, by Living Life and Learning
Kids can colour by number to discover the New Year-themed pictures, by Homeschool of 1

You can’t celebrate New Year without a party hat! Print and colour our free set of 2024 hats here.

New Year crafts that sparkle and glow

New Year is a time for all things bright and sparkly! Here are some ideas for kids …

These printable mini paper lanterns are lots of fun to make at this time of year. The template is free.
Got a slime-lover on your hands? Create a batch of New Year slime in sparkly gold and silver! By Fun-A-Day
If your little ones are scared of sparklers, make your own DIY kid-friendly sparklers. By Kids Craft Room
These geometric tissue paper lanterns are so pretty lit up after dark! And they look great by day too.

Fireworks art and craft projects

Fireworks are an iconic part of New Year celebrations. Here are some ways to recreate the magic through art and craft projects …

Create a super cool 3D firework scene using a crayon and watercolour-resist technique. The city skyline ‘pops’ out in front, giving your project a 3D effect.

This fingerprint New Year silhouette art project looks easy and fun for little kids (and big kids would probably like it too!), by Our Kid Things
Make a popsicle stick firework like this one by Littleadoo
This pastel firework art project is so simple and effective, by Projects With Kids
Love these q-tip fireworks paintings, by Littleadoo
Make some accordion papercraft fireworks like this cute project, from Crafts By Ria
You can’t go past watercolour and salt firework painting! By Glitter on a Dime